A Behavioral and Environmental Intervention to Reduce False-Positives in Submaximal Bicycle Ergometry Testing

Abstract

Although submaximal cycle ergometry testing (CET) can provide a good estimate of an individual's physical fitness, anticipatory heart rate increases accompanying pre-test anxiety can negatively affect the outcome of a submaximal CET. The present study evaluated the efficacy of a low-cost, technician-administered anxiety reduction intervention in the natural setting to reduce false-positives by removing heart rate feedback, and offering cognitive distraction and controlled breathing techniques. There were consistent findings for removing heart rate (HR) feedback and offering relaxation and distraction techniques on increasing the passing rate and decreasing HR at minute 1. Furthermore, when evaluated by gender, this minimal intervention also had an effect on increasing VO2max estimates, decreasing average HR, and increasing the passing rate for the female subjects. Interestingly, there were no effects found for any of the treatment conditions for the male subjects. The intervention's implications and future research directions are discussed.